- Documents needed to apply for the Spanish student visa
- Applying for the student visa in Spain
- Resident Card in Spain
There are two kinds of student visas on which one can study in Spain:
- Spanish student visa that allows the right to live in the country for up to 180 days;
- Spanish student visa that provides the right to live in Spain for one year with the possibility of extension later.
The Spanish student visa that is valid up to 180 days is issued for students who wish to study in long-term language courses. The process of applying for this visa is less complicated, since it does not require the preparation of a medical certificate and a certificate of conduct. Its main disadvantage is that it cannot be extended from within Spanish territory.
In this article, we will discuss the application steps for the Spanish student visa type D (a permit based on studies) that gives the student the right to live in the country for as long as one year. This visa is also called the student residency visa.
Please be informed that the student’s residency does not have the same status as a residency permit. For this reason, in the case that one wishes to submit the documents required to apply for Spanish citizenship, the duration of the stay in Spain under the student visa will not be included in the necessary minimum.
Spanish student visa requirements
Documents needed to apply for the Spanish student visa
- Official application for the national visa of Spain, completed and signed in two copies by the applicant or his or her official representative (in the case of minors).
- Valid international passport (and copies of all of its pages), the validity of which exceeds the period for which the visa is requested.
- The documents that confirm the availability of funds for living in Spain during the period of study and funds sufficient for the applicant to return to the country of origin, as well as funds adequate to support the family members living at his or her expense.
One of the major Spanish student visa requirements is that the applicant meet a minimum level of financial potency, as determined by IPREM (El Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples – multifunctional general income index) at the level of 100%. Currently, IPREM says that this amount constitutes 532.51 euros per month. Financial support for the first dependent requires 75% of IPREM (399.38 euros); the second and the subsequent dependents require 50% of IPREM (266.26 euros). The following documents can serve as proof of the availability of the funds:
- Bank statements
- Employment verification letter
For minors (children) who will be staying in Spain without parents, the following documents are required:
- Original, notarized exit permit that states the name of the school, tentative duration of the program, and the personal data of the guardian who will be responsible for the child.
- Original, notarized act of the assumption of specific obligations by a custodian.
In the case that a child lives in Spain without his or her parents, one of the key requirements for the Spanish student visa application is proof of the child’s custody. One possibility for satisfying this requirement is for children to live on school grounds, should the school provide the option of living in a dormitory, or the child might live with a Spanish family nearby. In the first case, the principal of a dormitory or school acts as the child’s guardian, while in the second, the guardian is one of the parents of the family with which the child plans to live. Only a legal resident of Spain can act as guardian of a child.
The documents that confirm accommodation in Spain for the whole period of study:
- The document that certifies enrollment in the university with official accreditation for the full-time program, with the purpose of earning a diploma or certificate upon graduation. The following data must be noted in the document:
- Student’s name
- Academic institution name
- Academic program name
- Period of study
- Course program and the number of hours of study per week
- For minor students, a certificate of good conduct within the last five years is required (and is issued by the official authorities of the country of origin).
When applying for the Spanish student visa, it is extremely important to have all documents translated into Spanish and legalized by the consulate of Spain in the student’s country of origin. Notarized documents and the certificate of good conduct must also have the stamp of the “Apostille” of Spain.
Long-term Spanish Student Visa
Applying for the student visa in Spain
The visa documents must be submitted by the applicant in person (in case of minor children, the documents are submitted by the parents, guardians, or official representatives) to the Consulate of Spain in the country of residence (or origin).
The fee is charged concurrently with the application submission. In the case that the student’s visa is denied, the paid fee is not reimbursed.
The duration of the period for processing the Spanish long-term student visa is one month, starting the day after the documents are submitted. If the indicated time period expires and there is still no answer from the consulate, it means that the application was denied, and the applicant was rejected for the visa. The consulate is entitled to ask the applicant to appear in person for an interview and to request additional documents.
Resident Card in Spain
If a positive decision is made, the long-term visa, the type D valid for entering Spain, is placed in the applicant’s passport. In order to place the visa in the passport, the applicant needs to go in person to the consulate within 2 months of the decision. Should the applicant fail to appear at the consulate, this is considered to be the applicant’s refusal of the visa, and the case is transferred to the consulate archive.
The visa received is valid for 90 days. Within this period, one may enter Spain and within 1 month, it is necessary to apply for a student resident card in a police department. In many cities, there is a system of pre-appointment (for instance, in Barcelona and Valencia). We recommend that you apply for the document submission directly upon arrival, especially in the large cities, since the waiting lists are normally quite long.
If you need to apply for the Spanish student visa in Spain, contact us at the company’s phone numbers provided. Our specialists will be sure help you with all of your questions, as well as provide interpretation services when visiting the governmental authorities on migration.